Method of continuously producing frozen foods

Abstract

A method of efficiently producing foods being free from deformations such as net meshes that would occur when soft hydrous foods are frozen, and having a minimum of cracking to be produced by ice crystal forming. A method of producing soft hydrous foods, wherein soft hydrous foods, upon freezing, are carried to a smooth-flat-surface support, if necessary, by means of a conveyor fitted with crosspieces having upwardly curved surfaces at intervals relative to the conveying surface thereof; they are frozen on the support; and, after starting freezing, they are rolled or transferred onto a different support for further freezing.

1 . A method of producing a food which comprises subjecting a soft hydrous food to freezing on a smooth-flat-surface support; after starting freezing, rolling the food, or transferring the food onto a different support; and then further freezing the food.  
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the rolling or transfer is carried out within the maximum ice crystal formation zone.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the soft hydrous food is a processed tofu food such as tofu, fried tofu or ganmodoki (tofu burgers).  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smooth-flat-surface support is a flat steel belt.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the different support is a ventilatable support.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the rolling or transfer is carried out at from the ⅕ time to the ⅘ time of the time-course of passage of the maximum ice crystal formation zone after starting freezing.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the soft hydrous food is carried to a smooth-flat-surface support by means of a conveyor fitted with crosspieces having upwardly curved surfaces at intervals relative to the conveying surface thereof.  
     
     
         8 . A food obtained by the method according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 .